1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to explosive tools, and more particularly to an assemblable module charge system of explosive tools that condenses the complexity, size and weight of available multiple explosives and explosive tools into the assemblable module charge system.
2. Background
The US Army's special operations forces have performed demolition operations dating back to pre-World War II using bulk explosives and non-standard, improvised methods. Soldiers have used materials found in the field such as junk yard scrap, glass champagne bottle bottoms and steel plates and molded the explosive to them in an attempt to increase the efficiency of the charges for specialized missions. Since the advent of munitions incorporating explosively formed penetrators and projectiles (EFPs) as warheads, the special operations forces have learned to build demolition charges using this technology. Often times, through trial and error, the mission succeeded using the improvised demolition charges to neutralize the target. However, improvised EFPs are rarely optimized nor do they have consistent and reliable performance because of the variability in materials and building techniques employed.
To overcome some of these deficiencies, demolition kits have been developed for the Navy and the Army operations. Typically, a kit has included a collection of inert metal and plastic parts, and commercially available items that give soldiers a wide selection of warheads and attachment devices, which can be tailored to neutralize a specific target. Many kits, have various warheads, at least three sizes of conical shaped charges, and four sizes of linear shaped charges, where the relative dimensions stay about the same, but the size is just increased. As the kits have evolved to have greater capabilities, so has the weight. The warheads, which are provided, have a pre-set configuration that contains all materials, except the explosive. The explosive still has to be packed into the warheads. Currently, the demolition kit also has inert components to tailor-make various explosive charges and devices to attach or aim these charges at the target.
In the last friendly area near the mission jump-off site, the user will select the proper sized warheads and hand pack the warheads with a moldable explosive. The armed warheads are manually carried in a backpack to the target site.